By the sword 2
by Karasu Hokori
Summary: okay, cheesey title, it'll change soon when I think of a name, now that I have this story in the right place, I may as well upload chapter 2 as well...
1. Default Chapter

By the Sword (fanfic)

Chapter 1

_I'm afraid that the story isn't going to get really interesting until the next chapter… this just tells about the main character growing up- sort of… there'll be some years skipping by every now and then so r/r plz…_

It was in her 2nd year that she had happened upon the Skybolt's village, a sword strapped to her back… her cheeks sunken with fatigue… her eyes wide and nearly unseeing. Several alarming gashes along her side and legs. The child had collapsed upon entering the blooming village. She could remember nothing of where she had come from or to whom she belonged; Kero had taken to the child and took her in as an adoptive child.

During her 3rd year, Isis began showing signs of mage powers and the ability to wield the sword… She would skillfully and silently slip into the armory and search for trainees that were almost always cleaning their weapons. If nobody was there she would run to her sword, Eci Erif, and take it to her special clearing… it gleamed sharply in her small arms as she would peer out into the practice yard, seeing nobody she would tear out of the building and run through the gates, to her clearing in the nearby forest. Trees lay fallen everywhere, and yet there wasn't a single stump for miles. During one of her excursions she was followed by the leader of the skybolts, Kero had seen her leaving the safety of the gates, virtually unnoticed by the others, often enough, leaving at dawn and not returning until late evening. Kero watched in astonishment as a flash of silver caught her attention, there was a crack and a tall elm fell to the ground.

Before her own eyes another tree grew where the previous had fallen. The child stood, a look of deep concentration upon her face, until flowers bloomed from every branch on the tree. She laughed joyfully and lashed out at another tree, it to fell and another grew in its place, once more the child smiled when the flowers bloomed.

The child has the gift of the earth… Kero realized, and she was able to use it perfectly, her handling was well enough that Kero thought that she had had training in the gift before she realized that nobody took in a child so young… it was no wonder that the stumps for the fallen trees were missing… she had regrown them! "Kero!" Isis called in surprise, "what're you doing here?"

"I should ask the same of you child, why are you alone and away from the protection of the village?"

Isis avoided Kero's eyes; "they say that I am not permitted to touch it until I am 12!" She said her speech unhindered by the childish slur that plagued all children at her age, "they keep taking it from me without giving me the chance to show them what I can do!"

"How are you able to cut through such thick trees that most men can't cut through with one swing?" Kero asked softly, "Where did you gain this strength?"

"I don't know… Kero, I've been able to fight for as long as I can remember, why do you think I was able to wander into your village alive?"

"Come back wit me child, your gift is quite rare, we should have begun your training before now if these are the skills you know possess…"

Isis beamed and took Kero's hand happily.

She was now 7, Isis watched her opponent carefully, trying to decipher his moves before he made them, she knocked him off his feet, the boy lost his temper, angry at having been beaten by a child 3 years younger than himself, their tutor was off in the stables, she trusted them to fight well and fairly so there was nobody to watch as he attacked Isis viciously as she tried to help him to his feet. He dragged her to the ground and began to beat her with his blunt sword, she didn't cry out as he expected, just sat there and took the blows calmly, strategizing in her mind on how to get away from the bigger boy, she lashed out and kicked him just below the knee, the bone snapped and he squealed in pain, the tutor came running, took one look at him writhing on the ground, saw Isis' bleeding face and sent him home, he was a disrespectful fighter… they casted his leg, the lower leg swollen horribly, one could only stare in mild amusement as he limped about, trying to get his things together in a shameful silence. Isis was distant for several days before he left, her swollen cheek aching as she touched the stitched wound, he had cut her, beaten her when all she had wanted to do was help her opponent to his feet… breaking his leg was the only thing that would've gotten him away from her. The tutor smiled knowingly at her when she came to practice the next day… inwardly happy that such a small girl could defend herself so well.

3 years late she had mastered the sword and the bow, now it was time to teach the 10-year-old strategies as well as keeping her training going… She was put into several dilemmas, she and three others were taken deep into the forest, blindfolded so as not to be able to follow the others back, and were ordered to find their way back without leaving a trail, they were simulating a run through enemy territory and therefore had to stay utterly silent and unseen. Isis pointed at the fresh horse tracks before them and led the others further into the trees, they didn't understand her strategy until several warriors rode by on horses, dressed as if for war, they followed her in silence. She made the others walk ahead of her as a strange noise caught her attention, she cautiously hid their trail and told the others to climb a nearby tree and stay hidden. The youngest of her group slipped halfway up and she narrowly missed being hit by his flailing form, she dropped silently from the tree, "Nerad, are you all right?" She asked softy.

His face was contorted with pain, "my- my ankle!" He gasped silently.

Isis lifted him into the tree, allowing the two others, Alayl and Breham to boost him onto a branch before climbing up herself, she put her finger to her lips and stared at the figures below the tree, "The captain is following the horse's trail back to the skybolt's fort… it is midsummer so the most of them won't be there to ward off the attack… now then, since we've found nobody, let's get back before they think their scouts have been killed…"

"Right." The second man said, following the first, when the footsteps faded Isis jumped from the tree and motioned the others quickly, "We have to erase the trail and create a new one, lead them off in the wrong direction, "Breham, take Nerad back to the skybolts, follow the trail, erase it as quickly as you can while Alayl and myself created the new one, hurry!"

The ran as quickly as they could until they were far ahead on the trail, Isis waved Breham on as she and Alayl began tearing at the foliage alongside that one, they created a 'horse trail' about 50 yards long before Alayl nearly gave up, "it'll never work…" she said heavily.

"Don't… give up!" Isis gasped, we have to keep the skybolt's base safe, keep going or they'll catch up to us and our plan will fail…"

Alayl nodded and kept digging at the soil, they made the false trail exit at the opposite end of the woods as the base resided, it was there that they nearly collapsed in exhaustion, but the sound of hooves made them dig at the earth much faster than before, they had been leading the strange enemy farther and farther away from their home for nearly a week, it was exhausting, dig by day, hide in a tree by night so as not to be spotted by the scouts that always went a little further ahead before returning to their camp. "We need some help…" Alayl said as she looked over her shoulder, "they don't see us because of the tall grass, but they are right there!"

It was then that they realized that they were surrounded, dark figures crept around them and stood, spears pointed at the girls' throats. Isis stared at the figures calmly, the earth began to shake beneath her and Alayl became afraid, "Don't fear it…" Isis said in a distant voice, "it won't harm us…"

Sharp roots sprung up out of the ground and struck each man's chest, they gasped as their blood soaked through their shirts, there were angry calls from those around them and the circle tightened, Isis began to perspire as the sharp roots struck more of them, "We've been keeping this trail going for to long…" She said to Alayl, "Brace yourself."

Alayl didn't even have time to ask why as she was lifted into the air by a large root that rose over the men's heads, she was thrown into the forest, far away from their attackers, "Isis!" She screamed, "Don't!"

The battlefield was filled with a green glow, none could escape, Alayl ran through the force field, that had not been put up to hurt or keep her out, sword raised, she killed two before the third came upon her, in grim realization she called out to Isis again, the other girl stared in horror as the man plunged his sword to the hilt into Alayl's body. "No!!!" Isis called, anger overcoming her, "You bastards!" She spat venomously, "How could you kill a child!" The roots lashed out in her anger, killing everyone in its path.

The men screamed in pain and tried to run through the barrier, only to have their bodies engulfed in the strange green light and incinerated. The force field exploded with a violent light, leaving Isis the sole survivor of that battle, bodies were everywhere, but she ran to Alayl's, tears in her eyes, she lifted her friend's body and wept as her own people tore out of the forest, weapons raised, they stood in astonishment, staring at Isis holding Alayl's limp body, "Alayl!" She cried, the sky darkened as she pulled the weapon from her friend's lifeless body, "Come back!" She cried, tears falling upon Alayl's ashen face.

A steady beating filled Isis's ears, she closed her burning eyes unaware of the green glow that connected her to Alayl, the wound healed and Alayl's chest moved, once… twice, now it moved regularly, Isis opened her pain filled eyes, her back arched as she fell forward, upon Alayl, who now opened her eyes in shock, the skybolts moved in and asked Alayl what had happened, she told all that she knew.

Isis awoke hours later, a fire burned merrily nearby, seemingly unaware of the horrible crime she had committed… so many deaths at her own hands, Alayl's face appeared over her own, tear streaked, "Isis!" She gasped, "How?"

"Alayl!" Isis hugged her friend, "but- t-they killed you!"

"I know…" Alayl said, "What did you do?"  
"I… don't know." Isis whispered, "but it hurts a lot…"

"You absorbed part of my wound somehow… brought me back and absorbed enough so that it was not fatal to either of us… we will be back at the fort tomorrow evening, with horses we were able to make better time…" Alayl, "They told me Breham got to them the day before yesterday, babbling madly about some enemy force trying to find them and about us leading them in the opposite direction… they believed him and were ready in a candle mark, they found us after your uh… plants did their job, the field was a bloody mess…"

"I know… but there was nothing I could do, that was the first time I'd ever used the plants as a weapon… they sorta had a mind all their own…" Isis said softly.

4 yrs later Kero went off to fight a winter war with all the men and women she could muster… 1 year after that Isis gave up hope of seeing her mother again, she simply didn't return, her training began to slide, not completely, but it did nonetheless. She waited out her last year as a trainee, hoping to search for Kero when she could leave…

_A/N well there's chapter 1, hope you all enjoyed it… Well let me know what you all thought…_


	2. Ambush in the night

**Ambush in the night!**

It was now her sixteenth year, Isis was officially old enough to go off on her own to seek out Kero… the day that she had

planned to leave Kero came riding up to the skybolt's fort dressed in a white robe, she rode a tall, white steed with blue eyes

filled with an unnatural intelligence for a horse, Isis stared at Kero openmouthed in shock, her bag in hand, "K-kero!" She

exclaimed, "Where've you been?"

Kero looked down at Isis for a moment, almost uncomprehending of the young face before her, "Isis? My, you've grown

child… sorry, I had to complete training as a Harold before I could come back… by the way, this is my companion,

Sayvel…"

_: Hello child… _a voice whispered in Isis' mind.

The girl was startled, but not frightened: You're_ Sayvel?_

_ : Yes… Kero missed you quite a bit you know… _the companion stared at Isis: But_ you're not her true daughter are _

_you? __Where did you come from:_

_ : Wha-_ Isis began.

_ : Never mind… I can see that you don't know… anyway, hello._

_ : Hello._ That was to be the end of there conversation, Kero had to fight her way to the stable to let her companion into the

grazing pasture just beyond, the throng of people was thick enough that Isis was pushed back, in a kind of stupor she went

back to her room and threw her pack onto her bed, that was to be the end of her journey…

There was a bonfire that night in celebration of Kero's return as a herald, Isis distanced herself from her adoptive mother

and sat staring into the darkness, the shadows shifted almost uneasily under her watchful eye, there was a strange buzzing at

the back of her mind, but she brushed it away. The fire was to loud… she wanted to get away… Isis hurried to the armory

and grabbed her sword… Eci Erif, she wanted to practice in her field, alone and away from the crowd so as to think. She

entered the trees and stopped, something wasn't right, there was the sound of laughter from the bonfire but- "We're under

attack!" She cried as a figure leapt out of the trees at her, "Kero!" Her voice wasn't heard over the fire so Isis ran towards

the light, ignoring her pursuer, "Kero! Kero!" She burst out of the trees to the surprise of the skybolts, "gather your

weapons!" She gasped, "We're under attack!"

There was a mad scramble for the armory as Isis turned back to her pursuer- and whistled, there was a crashing sound as

her horse Wobniar escaped from the pasture and swooped her up onto his back. She lashed out against the massive army

with her sword, trying desperately to keep them from the armory where her comrades were getting their weapons and armor

together, "Oh bloody hell!" She exclaimed, "Would you lot hurry!"

Kero was by her side quite suddenly, "Although it was rude of you to leave the bonfire… it was smart that you did so as

well, we would all be dead if it weren't for you, Daren was going to be here tomorrow, let's pray that he and his guards get

here before then or we may very well be a ruins… he was coming with Eldan as well so maybe Sayvel can speak to his

companion, Ratha, get them to quicken their pace…"

_ Sure thing…_ Sayvel grumbled, _:Of course I'll be the one to communicate…_

_ : Better than dying horse lady… _Kero stated.

_ : True… _Sayvel said silently_: very true…_

Isis thrust ahead of Kero, "So long as they come…" She shouted, disappearing in the enemies midst.

Kero slashed her way through the first wave of warriors, hoping to catch at least a glimpse of Isis, but got none, her

adoptive daughter was nowhere to be found, she trusted the girl though and brought her attention back to the current fight.

Sayvel brought her hooves down upon an unlucky footman as he tried to get beneath her, and began to kick at those who

were behind, turning bodies into bloody stumps as Kero strung her bow. Kero shot the arrow into the enemies' midst and

strung her bow once more as the rest of the skybolts joined her. One of her mages sent up a large array of fireworks, hoping

to get Daren's attention, to make him hurry, if he waited until morning the skybolts would surely be dead. Kero praised the

mage intelligent enough to do that, because at least if Sayvel hadn't told of the urgency, the fireworks did.

Isis stood on her horse's back gracefully, hands clasped as she called upon the earth to help her in this battle… a little

rumble came at first, and then the earth began to shake, nearly toppling Isis from the back of her horse, at least it was a

Shin'a'in- blood… it was able to wander the shaking battlegrounds as if there was nothing happening. Wobniar snorted and

struck out with his hooves, killing two warriors; Isis stared at the sky as a bright flurry of colors filled it from a short distance,

so Daren and Eldan would be there soon to provide relief for the half-drunk fighters… Isis was the only fighter that remained

completely sober because she had been too uneasy to drink at the bonfire. She thrust her sword into the heart of a fighter

who had tried to knock her from her horse. She let out an exclamation of pain and surprise as a sword was thrust through her

right leg and deep into Wobniar's chest, the horse screamed and fell, pinning Isis beneath it. The crafty girl called up a root to

pull the sword and horse away from her so that she could stand and fight once more. She grabbed her quiver of arrows and

strung her bow, letting loose three arrows at a time, killing two warriors and a horse instantly, the horse bucked, kicking

several men in the head, and fell, crushing several more beneath it's massive weight.

Again she loosed three arrows, though one went wild and hit a tree. Isis sighed heavily and grasped a man by the collar,

"Who are you and who do you work for!" She shouted, holding a dagger to his throat.

"Lionel… I'm a warrior of Ancar, we are here to extract our revenge for the missionaries' interference in our affairs two

years ago!" with that he thrust Isis to the side and reentered the throng of fighters.

Isis gasped, two years ago… that was when Kero had left, and they were here because Kero had interfered with their

fight… She stood slowly and entered the battle on foot, hoping to find Kero amongst the chaos. Several times during the

battle she caught glimpses of white, a horse trying to make its way to her, but unable to pass through the throng of

warriors:_Isis you are __my chosen.: _She barely heard the voice before she was attacked from behind, even as she was locked

in combat with another warrior.

Daren's fighters found them just before dawn, his troops swept down upon Ancar's men, who fearfully

began to retreat, Kero watched in relief as they went, a lone voice caught her ear and she frowned, the enemy was now far

enough that Kero wanted nobody to follow for fear of being captured or killed, these men would go home with tails between

their legs…

Isis was being pulled back by the enemy, her wrists had been tied and she was being jerked away from Kero by the

retreating army, Kero was getting smaller… in desperation Isis broke away from her captor and ran through the lines, exiting

at the back, followed closely by several of them, "Kero!" She screamed, "Kero, help me!" She was dragged back into the

midst of the enemy, kicking and screaming for Kero as she went, something crashed down on the back of her head and she

knew no more.

Kero stared in astonishment as a small figure broke through enemy lines, and gasped when the voice caught her ears,

"Kero!" It called, "Kero, help me!"

Kero tried to run at the lines, but was held back forcefully by Alayl, "She'll find a way back to us… you'll just get captured

to if you go… you must understand you are putting the entire army at stake for just one girl!"

Kero burst into tears, "You don't understand!" She told Alayl, "How could you say that when she saved your life as a

child, nearly losing her own in the process!"

Alayl paled, "I know… but we can't now, they've disappeared…"

Kero looked at the spot where the retreating figures had been, there wasn't a soul in sight, "No!" She screamed, "Isis!"

Alayl looked at Kero uncomfortably, Isis was the only one who could draw actual emotion out of Kero, and right now this

was too much. She walked away from Kero, and looked at the man that took her place; he too was dressed in white robes.

_ : What's the matter Kero: _He asked her, placing his hand delicately on her shoulder.

_ : They've got my daughter: _Kero wailed into his mind.

Eldan faltered for a moment: _daughter: _He asked quietly_: You never told me you had a daughter:_

_ : She's my adopted daughter… nobody- not even her- knows where she came from. :_ Kero said softly.

_ : Oh…: _Eldan said quietly:_ So, why did you leave her behind to become a herald:_

_ : Because I knew she could handle herself, she's a strong girl and doesn't need me like she used to…:_

: _But she still had a great attachment to you… and she needs you more than ever... why did that army attack you:_

: _Because we defeated them two years ago… Ancar was getting his revenge upon the skybolts. :_

_ : Those were Ancar's troops: _Eldan exclaimed, making Kero wince:_ Then may the gods be with your daughter…:_

Isis awoke and realized that she couldn't move, "Where am I?" she asked dazedly, "Kero! Are you there?"

She looked around dizzily and pulled at whatever held her, it wouldn't let go, "KERO!" She cried feverishly as another wave

of darkness swept over her…

_A/N Okay… so here is chapter 2 peeps, enjoy, R&R plz…_


	3. Prisoner of Ancar's Army

**Chapter 3: Prisoner of Ancar**

Isis awoke once more, this time more connected to the world around her than before. She gasped as she tried to stand, her leg gave out beneath her, throbbing painfully, what was going on? Where was she? And most of all, why did she hurt so badly? There was the sound of drunken laughter nearby, and the light from a relatively large campfire brought her to her senses, who were these drunken men? "Skybolts would've been annihilated if it hadn't been for that stupid girl figuring us out we'd have 'ad them…" One said scathingly, glancing Isis's way, "well… the damned girl is awake… wonder what Ancar wanted with her in the first place, she's just a scrawny wench that needs to be taught a lesson with interfering in a man's work!"

"Zaralak, no… Ancar wants her untouched." A smaller man said, "he- he'll kill you if you mess with her."

"To hell with Ancar!" The one called Zaralak exclaimed, leaping out of his seat.

Isis gasped and turned her head away from the cruel man, staring at the ground, she concentrated hard and was rewarded with a small rumble as the ground broke beneath Zaralak; he was plunged down upon many sharp roots. His body was skewered beyond recognition none of his friends wished to join, thus they kept their distance from the girl. The skewered man had only breath enough to moan as life left him. Isis watched fearfully as the fire was put out and the men lay down, she stared at the sleeping forms as she tried to stand once more, failing miserably. She waited until dawn, drifting off every now and then, hoping that somehow she would see Kero and be rescued, but somehow she knew that this would never happen, if she was to escape it had to be on her own… Isis had no idea how deep into enemy territory, and she didn't want to find out. Just after sunrise the men rose simultaneously and were ordered to continue on at a gruelingly fast pace- Isis was forced to walk and walk she did, she didn't care to show them her weakness t the moment and put on a false front, she wouldn't allow these pigs the satisfaction of seeing fear or pain on her face. So thus she hid her emotions behind a mask of pure hatred, her mind seethed with anger, how was she going to get out of this predicament? There was a flash of white nearby and a strangely soothing thought came to her, she would escape and _they_ couldn't stop it, none of them could stop her from doing so either, but just then she was to weak to do more than to walk, she was kicked from behind, "Hurry up, wench!" A voice said angrily, "You're slowing the lines down!"

Isis stopped and turned to him, feeling her bonds tighten as one attempted to pull her forward, "I'll move when I'm good and ready!" She shouted angrily, feeling the earth shake as her mind became one with it, "Try and stop me, I dare you!" She said in a voice that wasn't quite her own, "You know what'll happen, you saw for yourself what I could do last night!" Isis wrestled to regain control of herself, but the earth was very powerful and wasn't willing to give up just yet, "I'll cut off you masculine organs and throw them to the wolves, we'll see how much you think to order me around then!"

Isis finally regained control and nearly collapsed in exhaustion, but she held herself defiantly, looking into the man's terrified and shocked eyes, his hand slipped slowly to his crotch and he held it protectively. The earth stopped shaking and Isis was yanked off her feet, she gasped as she hit the ground, her breath was pushed from her, "You bastard!" She shot venomously at the one behind her, she paced a blood covered hand upon the earth and stared blankly before her, eyes growing a deep green, "seldeen fo eht htrae!" She exclaimed, thousands of wood shards shot out of the ground and pierced the men, there was an exclamation of fury and Isis collapsed as if a heavy fog now covered her mind, she was no longer able to control her body and slipped into an inky blackness.

Their speed was unhindered; they simply lifted the unconscious girl and continued walking tirelessly throughout the day and far into the night.

What's going on? Isis thought numbly, why is it so dark? Then, where am I!

:_Relax child…: _A soothing voice whispered in her mind _:I chose you, you are my companion, all we have to do is get you away from them, my name is Sera:_

_:Sera?: _Isis asked softly, _:Why do you choose me?:_

_:Your heart is full of pure intensions, it called out to me, and so I seek you out.:_

Isis gasped painfully, :_Do you know where I am?:_

_:No, I had a glimpse of you a few days ago and then I lost you… sorry.: _Sera said apologetically, :_that was quite a show you put on though…:_

Isis stared into the darkness, _:How come I can't see you?:_

_:Because you are not awake… escape and find me, as soon as you have opportunity.:_

_:But I can barely walk…: _Isis said, _:My leg was pierced with a sword when they killed Wobniar…: _

She heard Sera intake a sharp breath, :_that was not anticipated… try anyway, use your abilities to protect you.:_

The voice faded and Isis was left alone again, in the darkness, :_Sera!: _she called as she was dragged back into reality, she had been thrown to the ground and left there, they obviously figured she couldn't get away and were being cocky about it. She let out a hushed sob and sat up slowly, dizzily and realized why she had simply been thrown to the ground, while she had been dead to the world around her they had come to their destination, they were now on Ancar's land. The men had disappeared, and in their place stood a figure dressed in black robes, he removed his hood and stared at her with the blackest eyes she had ever seen, "You are the one who slaughtered my men nine years ago…" He whispered, "How did you kill so many in such a short time, and at such a young age to?"

Isis kept her mouth shut and dimly thought, _what is he talking about? _"Answer me!" The man said angrily, causing Isis to fall back with the wave of power he sent at her.

Yet Isis still refused to answer, she turned her head away and stared at the tall walls around her, the only way out was to either climb or- her earth powers! She could tear a hole under the wall and escape through that! The man looked even more irritated than before, "I could tear you apart in seconds!" He said angrily.

Isis turned to him, eyes full of fury and hatred, "How would I remember!" She snapped, "I was seven dammit!" The very earth shook as she spoke, cracking open in some places.

The man spoke, "You have the Earth gift… you tricked my men into following a false horse trail and killed them with plants!" He scoffed.

Isis concentrated on the shaking ground, bringing forth a large root that wrapped around her waist and pulled her underground, the last thing she saw before the darkness closed over her head was the man's look of surprise and fury, he had to be Ancar… She was thrust above ground about a mile away from the fort, she stood and limped as fast as she could away from that horrible place, hoping to overcome Sera before her strength left her completely, if that happened she would call upon the earth to hide her from her enemies. The day didn't exist here, a thick fog veiled the land from the sunshine that would have warmed her. Finally she called to the earth and was buried below it's surface, with a small hole for the air to reach her weak and tired form, she drifted into that same place where she had spoken to Sera before and called out, _:Yes?: _The companion asked softly.

:_I've g-gotten away Sera, but I can't go any farther, I'm so exhausted… I was in his territory, Ancar's I mean…: _Her voice drifted away and the companion was worried for a minute before continuing on her search for the child.

_A/N Okay, there is chapter 3 for you all, hope you enjoy, anyways, gotta go… might do up chapter 4 soon… who knows. R&R please!! _


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